<code>Exempted app</code> error disabling Phone/Dialer — uninstall Play Store version

Android

When a Blueprint is configured to disable the Phone/Dialer app (com.google.android.dialer), the Esper Agent may return the error Esper Agent was unable to change the state of the app: com.google.android.dialer. Error: Exempted app - com.google.android.dialer can't be set to the DISABLE state and leave the app active on the device.

Why this happens

Android devices can carry two versions of the Dialer app simultaneously: the factory-installed system version and an updated version downloaded from the Play Store. The Esper Agent treats Play Store-installed copies of system apps as user apps with elevated protections, which blocks the disable action. Removing the Play Store version allows the Agent to act on the underlying system version instead.

Before you begin

Confirm which version of the app is installed. Navigate to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Apps and check whether com.google.android.dialer appears under the Play Store Apps section. If it appears only under system apps, skip to the troubleshooting section below.

Steps

Navigate to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Apps → Play Store Apps in the Esper Console. This view lists only apps installed or updated via the Play Store, isolating the version causing the conflict.
Locate com.google.android.dialer in the app list.
Select the app, click Actions, and choose Uninstall. This removes the Play Store-updated copy and leaves the factory system version in place.
Wait for the uninstall to complete. The app entry will disappear from the Play Store Apps list when the action is finished.
Navigate to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Blueprint and re-apply the blueprint. This triggers the Esper Agent to re-evaluate compliance and attempt to disable the system version of the Dialer app.

Verify: Navigate to Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Apps. The com.google.android.dialer app should show a Disabled state, and the device's convergence status should return to In Sync within 5 minutes of re-applying the blueprint. On the device itself, the Phone/Dialer app should no longer be accessible to the user.

Note: After uninstalling the Play Store version, the device falls back to the factory-installed system version. If the goal is to eliminate all calling functionality, confirm that the system version also shows as Disabled after convergence completes — not just absent from the Play Store Apps list.

If this doesn't resolve it

Uninstall option is unavailable: If the Uninstall button is greyed out, only the factory system version is present — no Play Store copy exists to remove. Verify the blueprint's app state for com.google.android.dialer is set to DISABLE, then re-apply the blueprint.
App reinstalls automatically after uninstall: A managed Google Play policy or Play Protect may be pushing the app back onto the device. Check Apps & Configuration → Managed Google Play for any policies that include com.google.android.dialer, and remove or restrict it there before retrying.
Device is offline: Policy changes cannot be applied until the device reconnects. Monitor the device's online status in Devices & Groups and re-check the Activity Feed once it comes back online.
Error persists after uninstall: Collect the Device ID (found in Devices & Groups → [Device Name] → Device Information) and the full error message from the Activity Feed, then contact Esper Support.

Still need help?

If the steps above don't resolve the issue, submit a support ticket with your device model, Android version, Esper Agent version, and a description of what you've already tried — this helps the support team investigate without a follow-up.